Call centers are typically used as a means of distributing customer contacts such as facsimiles, e-mails, video, internet voice, telephone calls, etc. among a group of call center agents of an organization. As customer contacts are directed to the organization from the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or other communication networks, an automatic call distributor (ACD) directs the customer contacts to its call center agents based upon some algorithm. For example, the ACD may recognize a telephone call target based upon an identity of an incoming trunk line and route the call accordingly.
Call center administrators manage and ensure the proper performance of the call center. To manage the call center efficiently, it is important for the call center administrator to have access to the call center wherever the administrator is. For example, if the administrator is called away to another building, it is important for the administrator to be able to check the performance, configuration and attributes of the call center while the administrator is away. Further, administrators who must travel are often away from the call center that they manage and thus require access to the call center to determine whether the call center is properly functioning.
Currently, an administrator who is away from the call center has two options: 1) call a person who is in charge and ask that person for a status of the call center or 2) dial in to the call center by using a portable computer and checking the status of the call center.
The first solution requires that the administrator depend upon another person to get required information. This solution may not be optimal if the person answering the telephone call is not well skilled or trustworthy. The second solution is also not optimal, as it requires the companies that use call centers to purchase a portable computer and modem for every administrator in the company. In a large company with many call centers, this solution requires many portable computers. Further, the administrator must be able to locate a telephone line for which the administrator may be able to dial up to connect to the call center. Finding a telephone line to which the administrator may connect the portable computer may be difficult if the administrator is in a location that does not have such access, such as travelling in a car. Further, this solution requires the company to install the appropriate number of dial up lines so that administrators are not disconnected or put on hold because the dial up lines are unavailable. Both solutions are less than optimal. As a consequence, the performance of the call center may degrade or be impaired when an administrator is away.
Accordingly, a need exists for a better way of allowing the call center administrator to access the call center when the administrator is physically remote from the call center.